NEW DELHI: A day after being fined for shoulder-bumping 19-year-old Australian debutant Sam Konstas, Indian cricket star Virat Kohli showcased his leadership by giving a pep talk to the team ahead of the second day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
India found themselves under pressure after Australia posted a formidable first-innings total of 474, and Kohli’s motivational address was seen as a rallying cry for the team to stay in the fight.
Scorecard: India vs Australia, 4th Test
Former India all-rounder and commentator Irfan Pathan praised Kohli’s effort to uplift the spirits of his younger teammates.
Speaking on Star Sports, Pathan said, “Woh [Kohli] jaante hai ki kitna important hai yeh din. Not just as a senior player, champion player and a leader, apni leadership dikhate huwe. Baat karte huwe, young ladkon ko thoda pump up karte huwe. Yeh bada zaruri hai. Sirf captain Rohit Sharma hi nahi, Virat Kohli baat kare bachchon se, Gautam Gambhir wahaan pe baat kare. Kyunki pata hai ki aaj ka din agar haath se gaya na, phir yeh series bhi jaa sakti hai. Bahut mushkil ho sakta hai. Issi bajah se subah baat karne ki koshish ki.”
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The importance of senior players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma was evident, as India needed to deliver a strong performance on Day 2 to remain competitive in the match and the series.
Kohli’s connection with the crowd was also on display as he encouraged Indian fans during Australia’s batting innings. His gestures energized the Indian supporters, leading to chants of “Kohli, Kohli” echoing through the MCG.
Despite being under scrutiny for the previous day’s incident, Kohli’s actions demonstrated his commitment to the team’s morale and his ability to lead both on and off the field.
